EHL Playoffs: Oilers sweep Wolfpack

By BOB BIRGEHour Correspondent

Published 6:30 pm, Friday, March 4, 2016

CROMWELL -- Todd Jackson had the perfect answer for the Connecticut Oilers.

Thirty seconds after taking a stick to the chin with no call, Jackson buried an empty-netter with 5.2 seconds remaining as the Oilers completed a sweep of the Hartford Junior Wolfpack with a 5-3 victory Friday at the Champions Skating Center.

Jeff Thompson scored on a partial breakaway with 9:21 remaining in the third period to give the Oilers a 4-2 lead before Machlan Sawden's rebound goal pulled the Wolfpack back within one just over two minutes later.

"It was very satisfying after not getting a call like that," Jackson said. "Up by one, it's a tight game, and then just getting that opportunity to seal the deal. I'm very excited about that."

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The victory sends the Oilers into the semifinals of the Eastern Hockey League playoffs for the second straight year.

They prevailed on Friday despite allowing the first goal for the fourth time in as many playoff games as Hartford took a 1-0 lead on Nyle Sockbeson's goal at 9:07 of the opening period.

However, unlike Thursday's 5-4 win over the Wolfpack when they squandered a pair of two-goal leads, the Oilers did a better job of protecting a lead after building a 3-1 advantage on Walker Harris' shorthanded goal 3:11 into the second period.

Hartford twice pulled within a goal but could never get even in a sometimes chippy contest in which the officials let a lot go. There were only four power plays in the game, two for each team.

"I think our players battled hard," Oilers' coach Eric Lind. "They didn't let their emotions get caught up in the game. I thought we were pretty disciplined throughout that game and really played a team game.

"We kept pushing. It came down to which team wanted it more. Hartford had a great series. Our team just wanted it a little more."

Lind was heated when the officials missed a too many men on the ice penalty midway through the second period.

Also, the Oilers' Vincent Petruolo and the Wolfpack's James Morrissey yapped at either from the penalty box after they each were assessed delay of game minors at 11:20 of the first period.

"Playoffs, usually by game two or three, they're getting pretty physical, pretty nasty, and especially with the Wolfpack," Harris said. "We've had such good playoff atmosphere games with them in the regular season. It just all kind off boiled up today with them fighting for their season."

Once again the difference for the Oilers was their speed and special teams as they killed off both Hartford power plays after going 7-for-7 on the penalty kill Thursday.

Connecticut also scored once on the power play and netted its third shorthanded goal of the playoffs.

"We have a lot of speed so when the 'D' are using those chips like we're taught off the wall, we're flying and taking advantage," Harris added. "We have some forwards up front that can finish them off."

Doc Gentzler's charging penalty at 13:05 ignited the Oilers as Junior Wolfpack goaltender Kyle Carducci was forced to make four saves before Charlie Pelnik scored on a one-timer from just outside the right circle at 14:36 after taking a feed from Keegan Davis.

Just over a minute later, Harris and Jason Kalinowki broke in on a two-on-one break.

Carducci made a glove save on Harris' shot from the slot but Kalinowski banged in the rebound at 15:54 to give the Oilers the lead.

"Obviously, that's what we work on all year, our skating," Lind said. "This game is a skater's game now so whoever skates better is going to win the game."

At the end of Davis' penalty for cross checking, Harris found himself alone at the right circle, corralled a bouncing puck, and snapped a wrister past Carducci.

"It was a two-on-one that turned into a three-on-one so I was trying to get the puck down," Harris said. "It kept rolling on me and when I finally got it to my forehand, that's when I saw the short side open so I put it there."

After Klas Tegnemyr pulled Hartford within 3-2 at 7:37 of the second,, the Oilers focused on playing defense in the third period, though the Wolfpack came close to tying it, hitting two posts.

"In the third period, I think we played a very clean game," Jackson said. "We didn't take very much risk. We were protecting the house, making sure we didn't make too many mistakes."

Before scoring, Thompson actually fanned on his first attempt from the slot but followed up on the play and swept the puck past Carducci, who had fallen to the ice, to give the Oilers some breathing room.

Michael Tilford finished with 39 saves for the Oilers while Carducci turned aside 30 shots for the Wolfpack.